1985: Sacred Oil

About this board game

1985: Sacred Oil is a detailed conflict simulation for 1–6 players, with a listed play time of 3000 minutes, covering a fictional Soviet offensive in the Persian Gulf and its escalation toward a global confrontation.

Initially centered on the Soviet Union, Iran, and Iraq, the conflict can draw in other Arab countries, the United States, NATO, and the Warsaw Pact. Players must contend with complex politics, long-distance logistics, shifting alliances, and the danger of triggering an early full mobilization of the West.

The game uses a June 1985 order of battle and detailed modern-war systems. There is no predetermined order of battle; force composition depends on the political and strategic decisions made during play. Turns represent 48 hours, while ground units range from divisions and brigades to battalions across 14-kilometer hexes.

• Air operations including escort, interception, SEAD, Wild Weasel missions, and ground strikes
• Naval operations featuring surface ships, submarines, and fast patrol missile boats
• Special forces, airmobile and airborne units, electronic warfare, artillery, missiles, and air defense
• Event cards for mobilization, diplomacy, and special operations
• A tension period in which factions mobilize and seek regional allies

Six scenarios range from focused operations involving the USS Kitty Hawk to the initial Soviet offensive, the struggle for Bandar Abbas, and an Iraqi attack during Iran’s collapse. The largest scenario, Gog and Magog, covers the full Persian Gulf campaign from rising tension to global conflict.

Playable as a stand-alone game or combined with 1985: Under an Iron Sky and 1985: Deadly Northern Lights, 1985: Sacred Oil offers a broad, interconnected portrayal of modern conflict.